All mask prohibited
by Elie.N.P
Summary: The fabric was away from his face before he fully realized what she'd just done. The mask was gone and so was his secret identity. There was nothing left to hinder their feelings.


**I gave Zatanna and Nightwing a shot. Hope you'll enjoy this story and not be bothered too much by the OOCness and mistakes.**

**Enjoy your reading!**

**ElieNP**

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**All mask prohibited**

The fabric was away from his face before he fully realized what she'd just done.

The mask was gone and so was his secret identity.

He should have been mad at her for having taken such a liberty. The odd thing was he wasn't, not at all. Her blue eyes were boring into his. She'd not turned away the slightest. Why would she have? Zatanna had craved to do that since they'd first met. She had no reason to be ashamed of her bold move. That cheerful boy who would have jumped on her if they'd been alone, the flirting routine he'd built, the friends he'd helped her to make, she owned him so many enjoyable moments she couldn't count them.

Zatanna had been able to hold back for years. How could she do it any longer when he seemed to offer it on a plate?

Years ago she'd have deemed impossible for her to be friend with a member of the Team, let alone be that close to one of them. They were heroes, she wasn't, not yet.

When she'd first entered the Cave, they'd impressed her greatly. How strong they were! After all the trials they'd already overcome at such a young age they were still able to act as normal teenagers. Amazingly impressive. Zatanna wasn't one to underestimate herself, yet, among the members of the Team, she first had had the tendency to think herself lowlier than other people. Then she'd grown to know them, not always in the nicest circumstances admittedly, but friendship had still progressively bloomed. Little by little she'd understood she couldn't compare herself to them because there was no comparison to do. Their lives and powers were all different. How could you tell a Martian was better than an archer? It was utterly impossible. Their differences were what made the Team so efficient.

After having understood she could be part of the Team too, Zatanna had felt a lot more at-ease with her new friends. No competition, never, it was great to work with them, to improve her skills by their side.

Indeed she was friend with everyone, above all with him. Robin had soon made it clear he liked her. They shared games – his idea more often than not, peaceful times merely enjoying each other's company. The night strolls they went on belonged to her best memories.

As time flew he started telling her his past. Albeit he never revealed anything about his true identity, she could tell it was a huge proof of his trust.

On mission they'd always keep an eye on one another, they'd continually be at-the-ready to jump out of their own fight if their help was needed.

They'd truly got closer and closer until their ways brutally separated. He became Nightwing. She joined the League. Still on friendly terms to anyone else's eyes, they grew unable to stay in the same place, at least she was unable to bear his presence.

This situation had startled her until it'd dawned on her: friendship hadn't been the sole thing existing between them. There'd been something more, bigger and scarier. Something Zatanna had turned a blind eye to as long as they'd been on the Team together. She'd stopped deceiving herself after joining the League. Away from him most of the time she'd started seeing him in a new light. Sometimes she wished she hadn't, her feelings were real and so damned painful! They hurt so much she soon stopped visiting the Team, there were too many risks she might cross his path. She'd rather call Artemis to stay in touch with the everybody. Never had she let her friend a chance to put him on.

Though Nightwing hadn't immediately understood the reason of such a change, he'd soon realized Zatanna's absence was far more terrible than being only a friend. For years he'd flirted with without never daring make serious advances to her. He'd rather welcome that uneasiness, that fear of seeing her being taken away by someone else than the loneliness she'd been forcing on him since her quitting the Team.

Time would have settled the matter if things worked the way he wanted them to. Zatanna would have realised her feelings for him, or he'd have had the courage to confess his own. But they didn't, they never did anyway. The longer lasted her absence, the more frustrated he felt. If time was doing nothing, he'd take the matter in his own hands, making sure Zatanna wouldn't avoid him any longer.

At nineteen he finally reached his breaking point. Determined to face her, he arranged to meet her on her way back home. She looked tired – obviously she'd just returned from a mission – yet didn't fail to remark his presence among the shadows.

They stood face-to-face in the middle of the street for several long seconds before she shook her head towards her house. Zatanna didn't need him to speak to understand the conversation would be a serious one. They might as well be honest in a safe place. Who knew what could happen when two 'chalant persons were to confront each other after a so long silence.

Zatanna did admit time had done wonders with the already well-built thirteen boy. The living-room seemed very small because of his frame.

Why hadn't she stayed with the League that night she couldn't tell, though she was regretting it a little at the moment, she was tired enough without adding a confrontation with Boy Wonder. Aliens and superheroes existed, why couldn't coincidences such a them meeting so casually in her neighbourhood do too? Hard to believe. The bat might have helped a little his ward she wouldn't be surprised.

"You look tired," was all he said in five whole minutes.

"I am," was her answer.

They weren't going anywhere, were there? She could talk too - he wasn't the only one to have a mouth – however her mind was still too taken by the events of the day to give her the necessary concentration not to say something stupid.

Nightwing was silently staring at her. Well it was only a guess, his eyes were still hidden after all. Zatanna held back a frustrated sigh.

"The Team misses you."

Had he decided to speak every five minutes? She shook her head, were they really ready to meet only the two of them? The conversation – it was one, wasn't it? - would last all night if they didn't shake themselves up a bit.

"I miss the Team too." Or several nights for Zatanna, too, seemed determined to use meaningful words rather sparingly.

Although the rest of the team certainly missed her presence, they all got to see her from time to time, mostly Artemis but still, she always managed to meet them - when he was absent it went without saying.

"You could come to the Cave." Some progress had been made, five minutes hadn't passed since his last words.

She kept silent. He knew she came there sometimes, so what? Was he implying he wanted her to go there when he was present?

Zatanna felt lost.

Younger she'd been flattered by Robin's affection and though she hadn't returned it very obviously she hoped he'd have finally understood the feelings were mutual. Or perhaps they weren't. She might have been wrong to think his affection was more than it seemed. Had he ever liked her more than as a friend? And if he had, were his feelings still the same? He might have overcome them years ago for all she knew.

Heck, she was doubting now.

Truth be told, they'd never been a couple. Close friends, confidants, not once lovers – tradition and her being the one initiating it were good reasons not to make the kiss at New Year count as a true one.

"I don't have very much time to spare." She'd come to the conclusion it was her turn to speak if she wanted him to open his mouth again.

Her words weren't a lie. She was busy as hell, always on mission or training. She rarely ever went back to her own house. Why tonight damn it! Well, in reality she knew why. Tonight she'd been too exhausted to put up with her usual training. She'd felt her body needed a rest. She should have added her mind, too, needed it. As long as she wasn't strong enough to save her father she couldn't allow herself to get too distracted. And Robin, well Nightwing, was a very big distraction.

Nightwing saw her furrow her brows. "Of course you are but still-"

Her eyes abruptly jerked to meet his. "Stop beating about the bush."

Lost but not entirely. He was there, facing her alone, focusing only on her – she thought, hoped, well he had to! - she couldn't miss the opportunity. Her exhaustion and problems were to be put aside for a while.

His features turned sheepish. He went to the sofa, sitting on it as if she'd given the permission. Zatanna couldn't care less about how nonchalant he acted in her house, as long as it allowed them both to stop acting foolishly she'd even encourage the behaviour.

"So... how are you?"

She could have hit him. In fact she did. A cushion found the back of his head before he got the smallest chance to stop it. Kids! They were acting like kids when they should talk as adults.

"But you-"

"I've trained," she cut him off. "Some spells can be used without being voiced aloud."

Nightwing nodded. He should have known better than to think nothing had changed since her time with the Team.

Zatanna sat on the floor right across from him.

"Could we skip the futilities?"

Albeit he was facing her he could be looking elsewhere – above her head for example – she wouldn't know. She clenched her fists. Damn that mask!

He shifted a bit, as if reading her thoughts.

"I'm here to see you. I mean you, not your father." Her eyebrows twitched. How could he possibly be thinking about seeing her father when said man was under the control of a powerful weirdo? "You've been avoiding me."

After the clumsiness here came the summary of a story they both perfectly knew. She chose to keep silent.

"I should have come sooner but-" He was killing her. "- but I was... I mean I feared I might have misunderstood everything."

Confessions, clouded confessions, when would come the truth? Zatanna's mind was now entirely focused on them. She did admit his last words were worth some help.

"What would you have misunderstood?" she asked casually.

Or tried to sound thus. Her fidgeting fingers betrayed her real state of mind. She was all but nonchalant about the situation.

"Your reason."

Zatanna nodded. That wasn't the easiest thing to tell.

"What's your guess?"

Things needed to speed up, this rhythm was killing her.

"You want to know?"

Another cushion jerked towards him. He stopped it this time before it could hit him right in the face. Was he glaring? Was he amused? His features wouldn't give anything away, if only she could see his eyes!

"I think you avoiding me is stupid." He should be careful there were numerous cushions left around the room. "I think we should have talked about-" he trailed off.

Zatanna raised an eyebrow at him. Of course they should have talked more. About what, she was in a hurry to know. Nightwing was playing with the hem of his shirt, obviously not in the hurry to tell her. She kept her gaze directed straight at him. She might be the one who had physically fled all meeting, but that didn't make her the only one at fault.

Couldn't he have come to her instead of waiting for her? It wasn't as if she'd disappeared from Earth. She was part of the League, he couldn't ignore where to find her most of the time. She unclenched her fists. To be angry would do nothing, wasn't he there after all?

She slowly got up from the floor to sit beside him. Nightwing turned his face to her. She guessed he was looking at her. Gently her fingers reached for his furrowed brows. They were both suffering because of mutual slowness and clumsiness – you could add a huge lack of courage.

"We should have talked about us," she murmured. "We should have put duties aside for a second to focus on what was going on between us. We've been too scared to do anything. We've satisfied ourselves with the way things looked like, ignoring the way they should have been."

"Would it have changed anything?" he asked in a breath.

"Yes." She was adamant.

"Our duties-"

"Are our duties and will stay our duties, but they can't prevent us from having... I don't know, from having a life outside of the whole superhero thing."

He lowered his head. All courage seemed to be gone now than they were getting closer to the truth.

Zatanna moved her legs under her, leaning towards the young man. She cupped his face between her hands to raise it. She wouldn't back away now. Ever so slowly her fingers came near the mask, on it, then under it. He didn't back away either. She took it as an encouragement to do what she obviously seemed about to do.

Finally the mask was gone.

Zatanna allowed her fingertips to run over the newly exposed skin. The deep blue eyes which stared back at her reflected the intensity she used to guess on his features.

Richard Grayson was a handsome young man as well as the clever and powerful Nightwing. What a lucky guy!

He took her hands in his. She still didn't turn away. He could have stopped her at any time. He could have chosen to keep his secret from her. He hadn't. That was the sole proof she needed to forget about words. What was left to be said? No words would successfully convey what had just been revealed by their respective behaviours.

Removing his mask, Zatanna had openly admitted she wanted to be more than Nightwing's friend. Letting her do so, Dick had openly admitted Zatanna as Nightwing's friend wasn't satisfying him.

"Slow, we've been so slow," she whispered.

She'd love to rest her head on his shoulder, to cuddle against him, yet she couldn't envisage to lose sight of his beautiful eyes.

"As 'chalant as ever," he chuckled a bit bitterly.

He let go of her hands to pull her to his chest. Her legs instinctively circled his waist, her arms embraced his neck and their foreheads leant against each other. Their eyes were locked together, their mouths sealed by the happiness which was overwhelming them both. It'd been drawn-out but they were finally true to their heart.

Duties, tight schedules, danger, these couldn't prevent them from getting their share of love.

There were no routine in their life and no mark which would always be at the same place. Friends and places, they continually moved all over the world – literally. Normality wasn't something they knew or wanted for all that. Truth be told none of them could envisage to lead another life. However they wouldn't refuse some peaceful times to forget a bit about the huge task saving lives was. From now on they'd be able to share these precious moments. They'd make them happen simply by being together.

Dick was gently caressing her back while her hands were tangled in his soft hair. Never before had they been so close, never before had they felt so well! The intimacy they were sharing felt utterly natural.

When Zatanna slightly moved closer to him, Dick didn't hesitate any more to take possession of her lips. The eye contact broke to allow them to give in new sensations. Their lips were dancing together. He led first, then she proposed another rhythm. No room was left between their bodies, neither between their hearts. They'd been far away for ages, they'd have to work hard to make up for such an absurdity.

Their lips parted when they ran out of air. They didn't waste time to refill their lungs before resuming their intimate dance.

This kind of hard-work wasn't a bother at all. Zatanna and Dick were both certain they'd spare as much time as possible for it.

All mask prohibited of course.


End file.
